I was fortunate to be at the premiere of this film on 4/29/07. Day Zero is set in a future in which we are still fighting in Iraq and the draft is reinstated. It is a character study centered on 3 very different men, how they react to a draft notice, and what they do with the 30 days they have before they must report (Day Zero).
The 3 men: Aaron (Elijah Wood) is a writer with one successful book already published and currently working on his second book. George (Chris Klein) is a successful attorney from a well-to-do family who has just made partner in his law firm and is married to a woman who has recently survived cancer. Dixon (Jon Bernthal) is a cab driver who seems content with his life he lives alone and is good friends with a young girl in his building.
We learn that George and Dixon were in school together and that Dixon went to jail (or some kind of juvenile lockup) for 2 years when he beat up some guys that were bullying George. We unfortunately aren't told much about how these 2 met and came to be friends with Aaron or anything else about Aaron's background.
The reaction of the 3 men to the draft notice is quite telling for their characters: Aaron immediately throws up, George begins to think about how he can get out of being drafted, and Dixon is immediately excited and ready to go (and angry at George for not wanting to serve).
Aaron provides what comic relief there is in the first half of the movie. He is incredibly insecure. He has a therapist, but his therapist obviously has no interest in him and does crosswords and her nails during their sessions. The fact that Aaron doesn't seem to be bothered by this is another example of his severe insecurity and lack of self-esteem. Aaron is immediately worried about being killed there and about being killed first because he won't be liked. Aaron makes a list of 10 things he wants to do before leaving, which his friends laugh at and make fun of when he shows them.
The movie is beautifully acted and photographed with a great soundtrack. It is clear during the Q&A that both the director and writer are anti-Iraq war, but they don't shove that down our throats in the movie. I thought they presented a very balanced view of the impact of receiving a draft notice on 3 very different personalities Dixon who is willing to serve is not written as a "bad guy" because he wants to serve. In fact it is George who is written at several points as the least likable of the characters as he tries to get out of serving. I am sure there are those who will say this is an anti-war movie but for me it simply showed the toll it takes on 3 very different personalities/lives as they face the real likelihood of dying in a war. And it also shows the unfairness of who has to serve and who doesn't have to.
Elijah Wood did an amazing job there is no sign of him at all in this character. Aaron has none of Elijah's poise, confidence, or joy of life. His funny scenes got good laughs from the audience and my heart broke for Aaron as he clearly sunk deeper and deeper into his breakdown with no one to help him not his therapist or his friends. I think this is the most complex character Elijah Wood has ever played and he did an amazing job.
My biggest complaint about the film is that Aaron's character wasn't developed more by the writer and director. I felt cheated not knowing how he came to be friends with George and Dixon (esp. since we are told how George and Dixon came to be friends) and why Aaron is estranged from his family. But most importantly what made Aaron make his final decision was it fear of death or fear that he couldn't live up to his wish to "serve with honor"? Or did he simply have a psychotic break? There is nothing simple about Aaron I wish we had been able to get to know him better. But that didn't prevent me from enjoying this film and recommending it highly.
This movie deserves to be seen by people on all sides of the Iraq war issue it presents many sides of the debate and I hope will open many meaningful discussions about the war and the implications of reinstating the draft.
The 3 men: Aaron (Elijah Wood) is a writer with one successful book already published and currently working on his second book. George (Chris Klein) is a successful attorney from a well-to-do family who has just made partner in his law firm and is married to a woman who has recently survived cancer. Dixon (Jon Bernthal) is a cab driver who seems content with his life he lives alone and is good friends with a young girl in his building.
We learn that George and Dixon were in school together and that Dixon went to jail (or some kind of juvenile lockup) for 2 years when he beat up some guys that were bullying George. We unfortunately aren't told much about how these 2 met and came to be friends with Aaron or anything else about Aaron's background.
The reaction of the 3 men to the draft notice is quite telling for their characters: Aaron immediately throws up, George begins to think about how he can get out of being drafted, and Dixon is immediately excited and ready to go (and angry at George for not wanting to serve).
Aaron provides what comic relief there is in the first half of the movie. He is incredibly insecure. He has a therapist, but his therapist obviously has no interest in him and does crosswords and her nails during their sessions. The fact that Aaron doesn't seem to be bothered by this is another example of his severe insecurity and lack of self-esteem. Aaron is immediately worried about being killed there and about being killed first because he won't be liked. Aaron makes a list of 10 things he wants to do before leaving, which his friends laugh at and make fun of when he shows them.
The movie is beautifully acted and photographed with a great soundtrack. It is clear during the Q&A that both the director and writer are anti-Iraq war, but they don't shove that down our throats in the movie. I thought they presented a very balanced view of the impact of receiving a draft notice on 3 very different personalities Dixon who is willing to serve is not written as a "bad guy" because he wants to serve. In fact it is George who is written at several points as the least likable of the characters as he tries to get out of serving. I am sure there are those who will say this is an anti-war movie but for me it simply showed the toll it takes on 3 very different personalities/lives as they face the real likelihood of dying in a war. And it also shows the unfairness of who has to serve and who doesn't have to.
Elijah Wood did an amazing job there is no sign of him at all in this character. Aaron has none of Elijah's poise, confidence, or joy of life. His funny scenes got good laughs from the audience and my heart broke for Aaron as he clearly sunk deeper and deeper into his breakdown with no one to help him not his therapist or his friends. I think this is the most complex character Elijah Wood has ever played and he did an amazing job.
My biggest complaint about the film is that Aaron's character wasn't developed more by the writer and director. I felt cheated not knowing how he came to be friends with George and Dixon (esp. since we are told how George and Dixon came to be friends) and why Aaron is estranged from his family. But most importantly what made Aaron make his final decision was it fear of death or fear that he couldn't live up to his wish to "serve with honor"? Or did he simply have a psychotic break? There is nothing simple about Aaron I wish we had been able to get to know him better. But that didn't prevent me from enjoying this film and recommending it highly.
This movie deserves to be seen by people on all sides of the Iraq war issue it presents many sides of the debate and I hope will open many meaningful discussions about the war and the implications of reinstating the draft.